Cascading through fields

Today the One Block Wonder was finished and is now on the stack of quilts waiting to be quilted.  It took a year to get it finished to this point; now it needs to be quilted.  I started on it last year just before we left to head back north.  I can't say whether I love it or not, but I can tell you I won't be making another one too soon.

It's a very creative and time consuming method.  If many people used the same fabric print their quilts would all look totally different and unique.  Mine makes me think of a group of yellow flowers cascading through a field of purple and lilac ones.  The flowers are a strong contrast to the background, making the spinning hexagon flowers pop.

After all of the hexagons were sewn together the blocks were sorted into colors and then I began to lay them out on the floor creating a design. It takes a few days of studying and tweaking until a satisfactory placement appears.  That's what makes it different from any other persons design.  It is a personal decision.

It will make a beautiful wall hanging; on the other hand it would be lovely just to snuggle under it.  My quilt has a date with my good friend and her long arm quilting machine.  After which it's going to stay with her in Fort McMurray.  Now that I've found a happy home for it I might--that's maybe--think about making another.  The fun part of course is shopping for just the right print.  But it's going to have to wait for a while, there are many other quilts waiting their turn.

It's true:  "There are so many quilts to be made and not enough time."

Oops! I did it again

Brittany Spears became popular with her rendition of this song, but I'm singing those same words for another reason.  I vowed to cut down on the amount of fabric I have stashed.  I made a resolution to make a list of the projects I have on the go and not to begin any more until the list gets shorter and the projects are gifted.  No more fabric comes into the house until a lot more gets used up.

Well . . .  then my friend is going to a grandmother again and I had to add a baby quilt to my projects.  It's her daughter's first baby and that requires a special made quilt for the new arrival.  OK, one more small project isn't so bad, no one will notice another on my long list.  I'll just squeeze it in between the lines.

I'd even given away two small bright lap quilts in an effort to reduce the piles of quilts around home.  Bright and full of funny dinosaurs I thought would be perfect for another friend to pass on to her young grandchildren.  I only give my quilts to people whom I know will love and appreciate them.  Some of my gifted quilts have ended up on people's walls; that's real appreciation.  And that's exactly where she wanted to put the dinosaur quilts--and yes they did show well against the buttery yellow wall she chose.

A vintage farm house surrounded by garden paths that roam through rhododendrons, azaleas and perennials of all colors deserves a quilt that is as soft and inviting as gardens outside.  So with great enthusiasm I promised to make a  quilt for that special wall space.

Gorgeous woodland azaleas

Oops,  I did it again.  I added another quilt to my list.  (Can't you just hear Brittany singing those words?)  Not only did I promise, but I came home, grabbed my computer and spent the evening searching my favorite on-line shops for fabric to make the perfect special quilt for my good friends.  No more resolutions for me, I'll just have to work harder and faster.

A State of Flux

Living in a house that was build in 70's and lost track of time over the years means there's lots to be done to bring it back to today's world.

We bought a house with a Harvest Gold wall oven.  The only good thing about it is that it still works.  Or it did until a few weeks ago when the kitchen reno went into phase 2 and it was removed.  We know it will never be installed again, yet it sits next to Patrick's chair, close to the dishwasher.  Though they may be handy for Patrick to reach from his chair, they're both waiting for their new home.

Before

The dishwasher wants new tile under its feet, the oven just wants someone to want it.  In the fall when we settle back to life in the US we'll count our pennies and head off to Lowes to buy a nice, shiny, clean slide-in stainless steel range and oven.  We could have had one last week, but the dentist took my money for a crown and bonded teeth.

During construction--in flux!

We're lucky to be related to a cabinet maker who is willing to renovate and move a few units to the middle of the room to make an island.  Another resource has access to Corian material for the counter top.  In the end our kitchen will look bigger, have more storage space, and most rewarding of all it'll be up to date.